What can we help you find on Military OneSource?

We value your opinion and we'd like your anonymous feedback to help make this site better for you and our military community.

Rate your overall experience.

5 stars4 stars3 stars2 stars1 stars

Select a topic and tell us more about it.

{{ title.feedbackArea }}

Please let us know what we got right, what you'd like to see, any bugs you found or anything else that will make the experience better.

Thanks for your comments.

You can provide additional feedback by refreshing your browser or by navigating to a new page - then click on the feedback button in the top right. We encourage you to visit our site again soon for updates, enhanced features and new content.

Ins and Outs of Filing Military Taxes When You Are Deployed

Deployed service members are expected to file their taxes. Fortunately, the Internal Revenue Service realizes service members and their families face unique circumstances and offers tools — and some special extensions — to make tax filing easier.

Getting started on filing your taxes

If you are a service member or filing taxes on behalf of a service member, keep the following in mind when getting started on your taxes:

Get your statement online: You can go to myPay to get your military W-2 form. It is posted there before being mailed to you. You’ll need your Common Access Card or personal identification number to access it.

Gather other important information. Other documents you may need to file your taxes include 1099 forms, deduction and credit information, receipts for child-care expenses, last year’s tax return, and any documents for investments, rental properties or mortgages. You’ll also need your military ID and every family member’s Social Security number, bank account and routing numbers if you are filing electronically, and receipts for charitable donations.

File the return in your permanent state. If you are stationed away from your permanent home address, you will still pay taxes in your home state in most cases. Note: Military spouses who work and live with their service member in a state other than their home state, as a result of military orders, may not have to pay income tax in the state where they work. Check out whether this tax relief applies to you.

Make sure you have a power of attorney in place if someone is filing on your behalf. If your spouse or someone else is filing your tax return, make sure they have all your information and attach the power of attorney — a legal document that provides them authority to make financial decisions in your absence. The person filing your taxes on your behalf will need to attach Internal Revenue Service Form 2848 with the tax return.

Serving in a combat zone or directly supporting those in a combat zone, serving in a contingency operation, or having a “missing” status. Your tax extension generally starts the day you begin serving in the combat zone for the period of your service plus 180 days afterward. The spouse and dependents of those serving in combat zone or contingency operation sometimes also qualify. Your command will notify the Internal Revenue Service of your deployment so you can receive an automatic federal tax return extension. You may still want to write “COMBAT ZONE” in red on top of your tax return when you do file. You can double-check they have this information by e-mailing the IRS directly at: combatzone@irs.gov with your name, stateside address, birth date, and date of deployment.

Hospitalized outside the United States because of injuries suffered in a combat zone or hazardous duty area. This applies for the period the service member is continuously hospitalized outside of the United States as a result of injuries sustained while serving in a combat zone, including 180 days thereafter. For hospitalization inside the United States, the extension period cannot be more than five years.

Getting help filing taxes, getting an extension

In addition to serving in a combat zone, there are other ways service members can obtain an extension on filing taxes beyond the April 17 deadline. To find out more about your obligation to file taxes, obtain an extension, and discover service member-specific tax benefits, talk with a Military OneSource MilTax consultant at 800-342-9647 to schedule a free appointment.

Other tax assistance for service members and their families can be obtained through:

Military OneSource MilTax free preparation and e-filing software. MilTax preparation and e-filing software allows you to prepare and file your taxes with ease. It’s designed to address military-specific scenarios, such as those described above. If you have questions along the way or need to get answers to special tax concerns, connect with a MilTax consultant at no-cost.

The IRS has a web page on tax information for military members and for members of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Preparing and filing taxes is a citizen and service member duty. But as a member of the military family, you have a leg up on others. You can obtain easy and free access to tax consultants and financial counselors with military expertise. Contact Military OneSource to take advantage of this benefit.

We value your opinion and we'd like your anonymous feedback to help make this site better for you and our military community.

Rate your overall experience.

5 stars4 stars3 stars2 stars1 stars

Select a topic and tell us more about it.

{{ title.feedbackArea }}

Please let us know what we got right, what you'd like to see, any bugs you found or anything else that will make the experience better.

Thanks for your comments.

You can provide additional feedback by refreshing your browser or by navigating to a new page - then click on the feedback button in the top right. We encourage you to visit our site again soon for updates, enhanced features and new content.